The life and work of the then Venerable Pastor Keyl was all the more significant because it took place at a time when important and significant events were taking place in the Kingdom of God on earth, and especially in the Evangelical Lutheran Church, in which the blessed man himself took the liveliest part. His name will therefore also stand and be mentioned in the history of the church of the 19th century, but especially in the history of the American Lutheran Church, in the ranks of those dear men of God who have heeded the words of the Psalm: "Make for yourselves Zion and surround her, number her towers; put diligence on her walls and raise her palaces, so that it may be proclaimed among the descendants that this God is our God forever and ever. He leads us like the youth." In the course of our narrative we will see that the blessed Keyl - even in miserable times, in storms of affliction and in the midst of hard strife - helped to build the walls of Zion with such diligence and such activity that it is well worth the effort to tell posterity about it and to inspire the servants of the Church in particular to emulate his example. Through his faithful service, many have been added as living stones to Zion's walls, that is, converted to Christ. He has led many to righteousness. For this reason he has also obtained the promise, as it is written: "But the teachers shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever."
It is true that in our narrative we shall also come to speak of a passage in the life of the blessed Keyl which reminds us quite emphatically of the word of Scripture: "All men are liars", that is, subject to error; and of the word of the Lord Jesus: "That even the elect may be deceived into error (where it is possible)." We do not want to conceal the fact that Keyl erred dangerously for a time. But we will also hear how sincerely and thoroughly he recognized his error in good opinion, how openly and humbly he confessed it, and how bitterly he repented of it. We have therefore no reason to pass by this period of his life in silence; on the contrary, we believe that our true and unvarnished narrative of his aberrations in Stephanism must go forth to the glory of God and the joy of all pious hearts.
However, in so far as our work comes into consideration in this biography, we feel compelled to make the following remarks: It is our firm conviction that it would have been more useful and more conducive to the cause if someone had undertaken this work who had been closer to the blessed Keyl in his life and had had more personal contact with him than has been the case with the writer of this work. We have therefore often only been able to judge some events in his life and work, as well as his praiseworthy and reprehensible peculiarities and the like, from afar. However, this has not prevented us from complying with the repeated request to describe the life and work of the blessed Keyl in detail and to begin the work in the name of God. We have sought to do this impartially and conscientiously; in all the descriptions of conditions and events that we encounter on the path of Blessed Keyl's life, we have always sought only to praise the grace of God that is revealed to us in them. For only that which grace has worked in him and through him is worthy of praise in a person's life. It is not necessary to tell that he was a sinner, because it is self-evident; but to tell what grace has done in and through a sinner is important and not self-evident. The entire handwritten legacy of the blessed Keyl was available to us in our work, and his extensive diaries were of particular use to us. Nevertheless, we sometimes had to ask for advice and information from suitable persons, which we received with thanks. Should it be noticeable to the dear reader that we have been somewhat verbose here and there, let it not be forgotten that the blessed Keyl was an outstanding personality in our circles, one of the first spiritual pioneers in the American West, one of the co-founders of our synod and Concordia College, etc., and that much of what has been said about him may only be of greater interest to posterity. Likewise, some things have only been included for the sake of his dear children. It also seemed necessary to us here and there to characterize the times and circumstances in which Keyl lived and worked in order to better understand and judge his own life and work. Finally, twenty-five and more years ago, the blessed Keyl was often approached by us younger preachers to publish a description of the Saxon emigration, because he was the most suitable person to do so; but he never allowed himself to be persuaded to do so, but always firmly rejected it out of hand. Well, perhaps his curriculum vitae can be a poor substitute. (And if the inclined reader wants to take our booklet published in 1865: "Emigration of the Saxon Lutherans" to hand, he will be able to get a precise idea of Saxon emigration from it). - The following narrative is hereby committed to the blessing of the Lord.
The author.